There are several local and national cultural organizations devoted to promoting the Tamil heritage, but Harvard University stands as one of the only institutions with academic courses in the language -- until now.

The CDC released a report about HIV trends for people under 30 in the U.S., and the numbers show an increase in one particular group: 25- to 29-year-olds. "The status quo isn’t so good — we need to do a better job," said Dr. Nachman, who also took no part in the CDC report.

Josephine Connolly-Schoonen’s expertise is in the area of nutritional management of obesity and chronic illnesses from the individual and community level. Since 1994 she has directed the Stony Brook Dietetic Internship Program and a series of community nutrition projects funded by the New York State Department of Health She is also the author of Losing Weight Permanently with the Bull’s Eye Food Guide (Bull Publishing, 2004).